{"id":17710,"date":"2024-06-14T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=17710"},"modified":"2024-06-12T10:13:05","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T17:13:05","slug":"synthesizer-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/synthesizer-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Synthesizer Basics: Introduction to Synthesis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Synthesizers are super cool&#8230;but they can also be intimidating. These instruments <em>look<\/em> like a piano, but they often lack a full-size keyboard and instead display a confusing array of buttons, knobs, and switches. But you may have heard about how powerful synthesizers are and how much they\u2019ve done to define modern pop music. And they\u2019re a must-know for anyone who\u2019s interested in music production and composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/justin-stanton-snarky-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Justin Stanton<\/a> of Snarky Puppy says: \u201cWe don\u2019t need to have our PhD in knob-turning to use a keyboard.\u201d Here\u2019s an introduction to synthesizer basics to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-is-a-synthesizer\">What Is a Synthesizer?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#types-of-synthesizers\">Types of Synthesizers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#synthesizer-layout\">Synthesizer Layout<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#synthesizer-basics-general-concepts\">General Synth Concepts<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Your Go-To Place for All Things Piano<\/b><\/h2><p>Get exclusive interviews, fascinating articles, and inspiring lessons delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><small><i>By signing up you\u2019ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don\u2019t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.<\/i><\/small><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-synthesizer\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>What Is a Synthesizer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A synthesizer is an electronic music instrument that creates sound by generating audio signals. With a synthesizer, you can create any sound you can imagine by customizing elements like its waveform and envelope. Many synthesizers come with a keyboard controller, but some are purely digital software. There are different types of synthesizers, including monophonic versus polyphonic synthesizers, and digital versus analog synthesizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The world of synthesizers is vast and this post only provides a general overview, but it\u2019s a fascinating space and we urge you to explore it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/13150045\/synths-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Synthesizer keyboards on racks and shelves in blue and purple lit studio.\" class=\"wp-image-15362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/13150045\/synths-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/13150045\/synths-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/13150045\/synths-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/13150045\/synths.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box-snippet\">\n<div class=\"shadow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div><i class=\"fas icon fa-piano\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-container\">\n<b>Decade-Defying Sounds:<\/b> Learn how different synthesizers became responsible for some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/80s-keyboard-riffs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most iconic riffs of all time<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"types-of-synthesizers\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Types of Synthesizers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"analog-vs-digital-synthesizers\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Analog vs. Digital Synthesizers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Analog synthesizers<\/strong> generate sound using analog electrical circuits. The waveforms generated by analog synthesizers are continuous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Digital synthesizers<\/strong> are essentially computers\u2014they generate sound using digital signal processing (DSP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Analog synthesis is experiencing a resurgence because musicians seem to favor its more organic, more imperfect sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"monophonic-vs-polyphonic-synthesizers\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Monophonic vs. Polyphonic Synthesizers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Monophonic synthesizers<\/strong> can only play one note at a time; <strong>polyphonic synthesizers <\/strong>can handle multiple voices at once. But while monophony may seem like a weakness, monophonic synthesizers are capable of some really cool effects thanks to this very characteristic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"synthesizer-layout\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Synthesizer Layout<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeing how a synthesizer is laid out can help you understand how it works. Most synthesizers follow an idiomatic layout: you customize sound parameters going left to right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what the Moog Little Phatty looks like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11153337\/Moog-layout-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a small synthesizer keyboard with knobs, buttons, switches, and wheels.\" class=\"wp-image-17713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11153337\/Moog-layout-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11153337\/Moog-layout-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11153337\/Moog-layout-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11153337\/Moog-layout.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"synthesizer-basics-general-concepts\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Synthesizer Basics: General Concepts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Synthesis is all about customizing the components of sound to your heart\u2019s desire. To achieve this, understanding the following concepts will help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"waveform\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Waveform<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sound is vibration and a waveform is a visual representation of that vibration. Different waveform shapes create different flavors of sound. Here are the three main waveform types you\u2019ll encounter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Triangle <\/strong>waveforms have a mellow and round sound. Like a flute.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Square<\/strong> waveforms have a brighter, reedier sound. They\u2019re often compared to reed instruments like clarinets and oboes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sawtooth <\/strong>waves are even buzzier and may remind you of bowed string instruments or brass instruments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Hear the differences <a href=\"https:\/\/www.perfectcircuit.com\/signal\/difference-between-waveforms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"oscillator\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Oscillator<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The oscillator is what creates sound inside the synthesizer. The oscillator control panel, therefore, is where you\u2019ll craft your waveforms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Moog Phatty Justin Stanton demonstrates in our video has two oscillators. This enables you to tune each to a different pitch, thereby playing two notes at once on a monophonic synthesizer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With two oscillators, you can also further customize your sound. Justin likes combining a square wave and a sawtooth wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"envelope\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Envelope<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The envelope section of a synthesizer controls how sound changes over time. You can think of it as controlling the sound&#8217;s behavior. It is most commonly used to adjust the amplification of the sound: how loud or soft it grows over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An envelope comprises of four elements: attack, delay, sustain, and release (often abbreviated as <strong>ADSR<\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/e\/ea\/ADSR_parameter.svg\/1599px-ADSR_parameter.svg.png?20070301133709\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Attack: <\/strong>The attack setting controls how long it takes for volume to peak. Set it fast and the sound will be sudden and loud. Set it slow and the sound will gradually crescendo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Decay: <\/strong>The decay setting controls how fast volume will return to zero after the attack. However, if the sustain knob is used, it will override it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustain: <\/strong>This is used to set the volume a sound will hold for as long as the key is pressed down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release: <\/strong>This knob sets how long it\u2019ll take the sound to disappear once the key is released.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Moog Foundation has a <a href=\"https:\/\/moogfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/poster_envelope.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">useful little chart <\/a>that explains envelope and the \u201cshape\u201d different ADSR graphs take on depending on the instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"filter\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Filter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The filter section of a synthesizer controls the sound\u2019s timbre. This is the fundamental texture of a sound\u2014it\u2019s what makes a violin sound different from a piano even if they\u2019re playing the same note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A single note contains the pitch you can identify (eg. \u201cG\u201d) along with frequencies called <strong>harmonics<\/strong> that you can\u2019t hear. By filtering out these frequencies, you change the character of the sound (its timbre). Filtering out frequencies like this is called <strong>subtractive synthesis.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Low pass filters<\/strong> allow low frequencies to pass and filter out high frequencies. <strong>High pass filters<\/strong> are the opposite. You can customize the sound of your filter by adjusting the <strong>cutoff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.optoproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/10a-Low-Pass-Filter.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"low-frequency-oscillator-lfo\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This oscillator emits a frequency that\u2019s too low for human ears to pick up. However, the oscillating waveform that the L.F.O. creates can be applied to different parameters to create different effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To create a <strong>tremolo<\/strong> effect, apply the L.F.O. to <em>amplitude<\/em>. Sound now oscillates rapidly between loud and soft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>vibrato <\/strong>effect can be created by applying the L.F.O. to <em>frequency<\/em>. Sound now oscillates rapidly between low and high pitches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apply the L.F.O. to the filter and you can now adjust its cutoff point, creating oscillating changes in timbre.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"patches-and-presets\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Patches and Presets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With infinite ways to create sound, you\u2019ll be right to ask what happens if you create the perfect sound and want to use it again at your next performance. That\u2019s where patches and presets come in. They allow musicians to save and store sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is some debate over the terms \u201cpatch\u201d and \u201cpreset,\u201d and some people use the words interchangeably, but in general:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Patches<\/strong> are what users create, save, and store<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Presets<\/strong> (or \u201cfactory presets\u201d) come with the instrument<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope you enjoyed this introduction to synthesizers! Want more Snarky Puppy content? Here\u2019s some other stuff Justin Stanton has done with us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/5WJ1PUHfozI?feature=shared\">Snarky Puppy Keyboardist Hears Dua Lipa for the First Time<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/justin-stanton-snarky-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6 Facts and 6 Questions With Snarky Puppy Keyboardist Justin Stanton<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/q1hXh416WmE?feature=shared\">The Easiest Way to Improvise (How to Solo)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11154737\/justin-synths-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Shot from behind: Man with grey hair and glasses playing two stacked keyboards with left hand and one red keyboard (Nord Stage) with right hand.\" class=\"wp-image-17714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11154737\/justin-synths-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11154737\/justin-synths-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11154737\/justin-synths-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/11154737\/justin-synths.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources and further reading:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/a-beginners-guide-to-the-synth-1736978695\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to the Synth (Gizmodo)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/UmcOvAv-egI?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Intro to Synthesizers (Sam Ash Music)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.perfectcircuit.com\/signal\/learning-synthesis-filters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learning Synthesis: Filters (Perfect Circuit)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/c3udLCvoCC0?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Synthesizer Basics: Amplitude, Oscillators, Timbre (Berklee Online)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/moogfoundation.org\/learning-synthesis\/synthesis-fundamentals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Synthesis Fundamentals (Bob Moog Foundation)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano With Real Teachers<\/b><\/h2><p>The best way to learn piano is with real teachers, but not everyone has the time and money for a private instructor. At Pianote, you can get real feedback from real experts\u2026all from the comfort of your own home. Explore our Method and community yourself with a free 7-day trial.<\/p><p><\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><p><\/p><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understand synthesizer basics like waveforms, oscillators, filters, and envelopes, and start creating your own sound.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1132],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17710"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17723,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17710\/revisions\/17723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}